UFC notables appear in 'Grace Point' movie, set to release this week
Former UFC champions Aljamain Sterling and Chris Weidman, as well as former UFC fighter and current analyst Din Thomas all have speaking roles in the drama-thriller that releases on digital platforms Tuesday with a limited theatrical run.
The movie, directed and written by filmmaker Rory Karpf, stars John Owen Lowe (son of Rob Lowe), Andrew McCarthy (of Brat Pack infamy), and Harlan Drum ('MacGyver', 'Friendship Never Dies').
In addition to the work that earned him five Emmys and a Peabody Award, Karpf is known in the MMA space for his work with the UFC. He's worked on various projects for the promotion including the long-running series 'Dana White: Lookin' for a Fight.' 'Grace Point' is Karpf's first scripted film.
The plot centers around Brandon, a young man struggling with a drug problem and played Lowe, as he takes a trip with his father (McCarthy) to a rehabilitation center in a small town. When their car breaks down, the excursion takes an unexpected and terrifying left turn.
The 84-minute film is fast-paced and action-packed with twists and turns as Lowe's character Brandon tries to escape danger and find answers.
Check out the trailer for 'Grace Point' above.
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In our sport, people have long huddled around a UFC PPV as if it were a religious rite. When social media was gaining steam in the early-2010s, UFC PPVs were ladled out on Twitter (now X), 140 characters at a time from those on the ground level, as if they were transmissions from the war. Any MMA fan who didn't spring for the then-$59.99 price tag suffered instant FOMO. Why? Because getting the PPV meant attending the party. A sacrifice, it's true, but also a shared experience. The price of admission kept unserious fans out. What lurked behind the paywall was the sport's everything, and the feeling of camaraderie for any of us who willingly paid the door fees was priceless. A typical Monday conversation might go something like this: 'Did you get Saturday's pay-per-view?' 'Damn right I did. That GSP is a freaking monster.' 'I can't believe Dan Hardy didn't tap.' 'Dude is Gumby!' 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